RS: Well the creation itself was purely accidental; it literally began with a walk in the streets.

MC: Accidental or not what was the goal of the project once you decided to hone in?

RS: The whole point behind Pedestrian Wanderlust has been to showcase and celebrate diversity of movement, choices, and who people really are. I wanted to celebrate unity through diversity. This is what I want people to feel when they see these videos, especially now in a time with so much divisiveness.

Unity, Making It, and Defining One’s Artistic Role with Pedestrian Wanderlust’s Rami Shafi

By Megan Curet

In a sit-down with young creative entrepreneur Rami Shafi, the man behind the street movement film series Pedestrian Wanderlust, I wanted to know more about the how and why behind such a project. What drew Mr. Shafi to the streets and how is he contributing to the ever-evolving field of contemporary dance? In a world dominated by social media, how can one remain unique from the crowd?

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MC: What stories do you want viewers to see in these videos?

RS: For dancers who create most of their work in the studio you only see a tip of the iceberg in the final production. In Pedestrian Wanderlust you see their work from the beginning to the end. I want people to see the process of their work on the streets.

MC: Your work is growing, as is the list of people with whom you have worked. What was it like working with Larry Keigwin and Sidra Bell?

RS: It was really cool; Larry reached out to me and I looked up Sidra Bell and simply asked her if I could film her. The project with Keigwin & Company has grown and we are looking to collaborate on upcoming video projects both here and abroad. Yea, it’s all really cool and exciting.

MC: You are someone who seems to take chances, so what advice would you offer to another artist?

RS: I would say, don’t worry. Print out a stack of resumes, and just get going. Hit the streets and go. The most important part is just starting. I think from there it kind of takes off on its own and you really never know what comes next.

MC: Do you think you have found your way completely yet?

RS: I mean I still worry about the artist lifestyle, and I am currently in a state of transition, still trying to find a way for my work to be lucrative and for myself to be self-sufficient.

MC: We often talk about one’s success and what it means. However I am curious about the question less often asked: How happy are you right now on a scale of one to ten?

A. I would say a 7. I guess I am still trying to find my own balance in all of this believe it or not. There are still things I would like to do and do better. So I am constantly trying to figure things out.